Crossbeam attachment for automobiles



April 28, 1953 S. C. VAHEY I CROSSBEAM ATTACHMENT FOR AUTOMOBILESOriginal Filed May 10, 1949 JUIUBJUIHUW YIIIHIHIII 19 INVENTOR. SccmleyCVahey BY I I ATTORNEY Patented Apr. 28, 1953 CROSSBEAM ATTACHMENT FORAUTOMOBILES Stanley 0. Vahey, Detroit, Mich., assignor to The BuddCompany, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Continuationof application Serial No. 92,362, May 10, 1949. This applicationDecember 12, 1950, Serial No. 200,415

Claims. 1

This is a continuation of the inventors original application ConnectionBetween Longitudinal Sills and Transverse Wheel Supporting Beams ofAutomobiles, Serial No. 92,362, filed May 10, 1949, now abandoned.

The invention relates to a novel construction of the framework of anautomobile and to the varrangement and connection of a cross ortransverse beam. More specifically, the invention relates to a combinedbody and chassis structure connected with a transverse beam carrying a.pair of road wheels.

The object of the invention is to overcome certain difficultiesencountered in connecting transverse beams supporting motor and/orindependently sprung steering wheels with longitudinal frame members ofthe body or chassis. The diificulties stem from the fact that saidconnections should be vibration-absorbing to keep noise and othervibration originating at the wheels or the motor away from the body, andthat the sills as well as the beams should be arranged as low aspossible and should be of simple configuration.

The aim of the invention also is to overcome certain furtherdifficulties which stem from the necessity of having the lower marginsof the body or frame crossed by the transverse beam, from the lowarrangement of the body underside in modern cars, and from thedesirability of easy and convenient removal or insertion of the crossbeam as a unit with wheels, springs, etc. attached thereto.

The aims of the invention are achieved by a construction in which thebody has a transversely extending downwardly open recess at the locationof the transverse beam, and in which the lower edges of the recess areconstructed for connection with such beam. The recess may be formed atleast in part by an actual offset of the lower side margin of theframework and/or by a pair of projections or brackets extendingdownwardly beyond such margin.

In a specific form of the invention the outlined problems are solved byreducing the crosssectional height of the wheel-supporting beam, atleast where it crosses the undersides of the sill members, by recessingthe longitudinal sill or frame members where they pass over the beam andby connecting the sills and the beam with the help of horizontally,preferably longitudinally arranged bolts and rubber bushings which pass,respectively, through the beam or parts connected therewith and throughbrackets projecting downwardly from the sills in front and in rear ofthe beam.

A more complete and clearer understanding of the above briefly outlinedand of other objects, advantages and features of the invention will begained from the following detailed description and. from theillustration in the attached drawing of several embodiments.

In the drawings: a

Figure l is a fragmentary diagrammatic threequarter front perspective ofthe forward end of a self-supporting automobile body;

Figure 2 is a fragmentary plan view on a larger scale of one of the sillmembers and of the transverse beam at their crossing and connectingregion;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary section and front elevation of the structureshown in Figure 2, the section being taken along line 3--3 of Figure 2;and

Figure 4 is a longitudinal fragmentary section along line 4-4 of Figure2.

The self-supporting automobile body, the forward end of which is shownfragmentarily in Figure 1, has a floor panel 5, threshold sills 6, a toeand dash panel 1, cowl sides 8, and front posts 9, all of which mayconsist of sheet metal and may be integrally connected with each otheras by electric spot welding. structurally secured to this structure arelongitudinal sill members H] which extend forwardly beyond thedashboard? and are braced by wheel housing aprons H and inclinedstructures l2. The sill members 10 have their forward ends connected bya structure 13 which constitutes the lower baffle for a radiator I l.Arranged beneath the sill members Ill is a box-sectional transverse beamI 5 which carries the steering wheels It by swinging arms and coilsprings, not shown, the springs having their upper ends arranged Withinthe housings ll provided at the ends of beam [5.

The general construction described so far is known and, therefore, needsno elaboration as to its details.

The vertical height of the beam [5 diminishes from the middle toward theend region adjoining the spring housing portions ll, as shown in Figure3. Where the beam l5 crosses the boxsectional sill members ill, thelatter have their bottom walls l8 upwardly offset at l9 and interiorlyreinforced by an elongated member 28, the latter extending in bothdirections beyond the offset. An angle bracket 2! is arranged in frontand in rear of offset I9 on each sill. Each of these brackets 2| has onechannel-section arm 22 which embraces the lower part of sill member ii!and is secured to the bottom wall it and the reinforcing member 28 ofthe sill member, such as by rivets 23. The other arm 2s of each bracketextends downwardly and is reinforced by a member 25. A bolt or red 25extends in longi tudinal direction through the arms 24, andreinforcements 25 of each pair of brackets and is removably held inposition.

The mid-portion of each bolt extends, furthermore, through a sleeve 21secured in holes in the side walls 23 of the beam l5, the sleeve 2?having a greater inner diameter than the outer diameter of bolt 26.Bushings 29, of rubber or other vibration-absorbing material, are fittedinto the ends of sleeve 21 and surround the bolt 255., These bushings,furthermore, engage by their thickened ends the ends of sleeve 2? andthe opposed surfaces of the members 25. ihe bushings 29 constitute theonly direct connection between the beam I5 and the sill members is sothat they bar the transfer of vibrations which may originate at the roadwheels H5 or at the motor (not shown) having its iront end supported onthe beam 15.

The invention is not restricted to the details of the illustratedembodiment, but modifications will occur to those skilled in the artwithout departing from the spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1'. In an automobile structure, longitudinally extending, transverselyspaced hollow-section sills and a transverse beam crossing said sills onthe underside thereof, said beam having reduced height in the regions ofthe crossings with the sills, each sill having its underside upwardlycitset at its crossing with said beam, the beam projecting party withits portion of reduced height into the recess of said sills, brackets oneach sill having downwardly projecting portions in front and" in rear ofsaid beam, a bolt extending through said brackets on each sill andthrough the interior of said beam and engaging the latter by means ofvibration-absorbing bushings.

2. In an automobile structure, longitudinally extending, sills and atransverse beam crossing said sills on the underside thereof, each sillhaving its underside upwardly oiifset at its crossing with said beam andits lower wall interiorly reinforced by an elongated member extending inand adjaterior of said beam, said rod engaging said beam by means ofvibration-absorbing bushings.

3. Automobile structure, especially of the combined chassis and bodytype, said structure forming a downwardly open transverse recess definedfore and aft by upright parts of the structure,

' a transversely extending supporting beam projecting into said recess,means connecting both lower corners of said recess with said beam nearboth lateral sides of said structure, said means I comprising inserts ofresilient material.

transversely spaced hollow-section- 4. Automobile structure, especiallyof the combined chassis and body type, said structure comprisinglongitudinal bottom siil members and a transversely extending supportingbeam, a downwardly open transverse recess provided by said structure,said recess being formed at least in part by upward offsets of said sillmembers and having longitudinally spaced upright margins,

said supporting beam projecting into said recess, means connecting bothlower corners of said recess with the beam and comprising inserts ofresilient material.

5. Automobilestructure, especially of the combined chassis and bodytype, said structure comprising a transversely extending supportingbeam, a downwardly open butlongitudinally en- 'closed transverse recessprovidedby said sti'uc ture, said recess being formed at least in partby brackets projecting downwardly from said structure, said supportingbeam projecting into said recess, means connecting the lower corners ofsaid recess with the beam and comprising inserts of resilient material.

STANLEY C.- VAHEY,

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 2,948,953 Sherman l July 28, 1936 2,301,593 Ulrich Nov. 10,1942 2,611,625 Kishline et al Septl23, 1-952

